I'll be Home for Christmas
by Yellowbrie3
Summary: It's Henry's first Christmas with JJ and Emily, but since Emily became Hotch's right hand, she rarely comes home anymore, when the team gets called on a case a few days before Christmas JJ questions if this is the life she wants … No Will AU Jemily
1. Chapter 1

It's Henry's first Christmas with JJ and Emily, but since Emily became Hotch's right hand, she rarely comes home anymore, when the team gets called on a case a few days before Christmas JJ questions if this is the life she wants … No Will AU Jemily

Just a little Idea I had for the holidays, as always I don't own Criminal Minds. This will be a short one.. Happy Reading

Chapter 1

Ever since Haley died Hotch has been putting all his focus into raising Jack, Emily has really stepped up and offered her knowledge and skills.

JJ has been out on maternity leave with their now 3-month-old son. Emily and JJ have been married for five years and decided to try getting pregnant two years ago.

In the beginning their marriage was perfect, Emily was the most amazing caring wife. She catered to everything JJ wanted and then some, she loved to spoil the blonde. They worked together at the BAU where they met, and JJ was now dual media liaison and profiler. Now things have hit an incredibly rocky road and JJ doesn't know how to fix it.

Knowing her wife was home alone with their infant son was breaking Emily's heart, but she knew the team needed her as well. She took three weeks off to spend time with her wife and son but now she was back to work and she eventually wanted to become the unit chief, the brunette agent knew she needed to work hard.

Hotch and Emily had a long conversation just before JJ had found out she was pregnant. Jack was getting older and he wanted to spend more time with his son now that he mother was gone. It was hard to be away from Jack and having Haley's sister almost raising him. He had decided that this would be his last year as Unit Chief, he was not leaving the BAU but stepping down into a better role for his family.

It's been months since that conversation happened and JJ was still not happy with Emily's decision.

" _Emily! I am six months pregnant and you decide to tell me now that you want to move up the chain of command and take Hotch's spot?! You would be my boss and who the hell is going to help me raise our son?" JJ's blood was boiling she was so angry at her wife for not telling her this sooner, she would never regret getting pregnant but this was a conversation that should have happened sooner!_

" _That's what you're worried about Jennifer? That I am going to be your boss! This is a great opportunity for me, just something else I did for myself without the political games from my mother" the brunette calmly told her wife._

" _You're being selfish Emily! This is a great opportunity for you sure, but what about me? What about our baby boy on the way? Did you even think of us when you made this decision?" the blonde couldn't hold back the tears anymore as the scenario ran through her mind. "We are going to have an infant son in three months Emily, doesn't that mean something to you?"_

 _Emily walked slowly over to her wife who was now sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. She gently lifted the blonde's chin in order to see those beautiful cerulean eyes. "I care about you and this baby more than anything else in the world Jennifer, I have waited my whole life for something like this to come along. This is an amazing chance for us, Hotch was able to do it when Jack was very little, this is the perfect time" she whispered softly._

 _Jennifer scoffed at the mention of Hotch taking the position of Unit Chief when his son was an infant, all she could think about is the fact that Haley is dead now, they were divorced, and Jack is now without a mother. Is that the life that she wants with Emily, or the life she wanted for her child?_

" _Yeah Emily that's exactly what I want! You to turn out just like Aaron Hotcher, never leaving the office, getting a divorce, losing the love of your life and possible child, that's exactly what I want. You're being a real asshole, Emily, think long and hard about your decision and make damn sure I will still be around to support you!" With that statement JJ rushed out of the bedroom and slammed the door. All Emily heard after that was the blonde's yellow Jeep Wrangler starting and tailing hard out of the driveway._

 _Emily was left stunned in their bedroom she thought she was doing something good for her family! She would be far more important, a true leader and getting the chance to work right alongside her wife, yes she was able to do that when they were profiler and liaison but now they were both profilers and could really work their brilliant magic. Isn't that what JJ wanted for them?_

The couple had barely spoke leading up until the birth of their first child. They had both originally been so excited about bringing this little bundle of joy into the world and their lives. Now though it seemed JJ was one the one raising Henry and her wife was nowhere to be found. Every night was an excuse to why she had to sleep had the office, do paperwork from late night until early morning. JJ understood the life of a profiler of course, but she couldn't understand why her wife didn't want to be around her anymore and their newborn son for that matter.

At least JJ had a lot of help, the team really tried not to get involved in the choices the couple was making. Penelope had spoiled the child already and he was still an infant, Morgan was talking about what kind of football or baseball scholarship he could help him get, Reid saw Harvard in the kid's future, Rossi was going to teach him to make a mean lasagna. The only one who hadn't really bonded with Henry was Hotch.

JJ was worried about the relationship between Hotch and Emily, she had created all these scenarios in her head but she had this sinking feeling in her stomach that something was going on between the pair.

She sat on the couch cradling her son while watching _The Golden Girls_ her insane guilty pleasure. She jumped when he phone buzzed to see it was a text from her wife.

"Sorry baby the case got a little out of hand, I know it's a few days before Christmas but I promise to be there for you and for Henry, I love you." JJ sighed while glancing at the text message over and over again, "I'm glad you'll be home Emily but I'm not sure if Henry and I will be." She picked up her now sleeping son and rested him in the crib in their room before dialing her best friend's phone number.

"Hey Jayje" a very perky Garcia voice came through

"Hey Pen, are you sitting down I have something I need to talk to you about…."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own criminal minds. All mistakes are mine!

Chapter 2

"Alright guys head back to the hotel, I'll see you all in the morning with fresh eyes and minds"

Emily looked at the sad faces of her team, she knew it was Christmas and they all would rather be somewhere else. Emily felt guilty, another team should have been called onto this case, but with the dragon lady breathing down her neck she knew the team had to take it.

The brunette checked her phone again to see if her wife had answered. She knew this was hard on her family, but Strauss gave her an ultimatum and she couldn't let anything happen.

She knew that JJ would support her no matter what, but the decision could break her heart. She wouldn't be able to see her child & wife for months, no communication or contact. Her son was three months old, she would miss some of the best moments of his life.

The brunette felt the tears pool in her eyes and decided to text her wife once more. "Hi baby I know you're probably sleeping, but I just wanted to tell you that I love you so much, I miss you and Henry. I will be home for Christmas Jen I promise you." The unit chief closed her phone and got back to work.

Emily sighed, she waited an hour when she realized that JJ wasn't going to answer her she hopped in the shower in hopes that when she got out her wife would have answered her text.

Back in D.C. JJ was trying to get in touch with her best friend "Pen I need to talk to you" the blonde needed her best friend immediately, especially if she was considering leaving her wife.

Meanwhile JJ was on the phone with Garcia.

"I just don't know what to do anymore Pen. Emily is never home and she's missing the best moments of Henry's life. I love her so much but I don't know if I can love this life. There's no reason for her to become Unit Chief, we don't need the extra income."

Garcia let JJ rant until she hear, "I think they're having an affair!"

"Who gumdrop?"

"Hotch and Emily" Garcia was shocked by what her best blonde was saying. "You bit your tongue blonde beauty, there is no shot in hell that something like that is happening. Emily loves you and Henry more than life itself, she would never ever ruin that to be with Hotch."

The blonde had tears in her eyes while listening to her best friend speak about her wife. JJ knows in her heart that her wife would never cheat on her.

"JJ listen to me, Emily loves you, and you need to have a civil conversation. Call your wife and tell her what you're feeling. I'm sure there's a reason she's acting this way."

JJ choked on a sob, "thanks Pen." Although JJ no longer thought her wife was cheating on her she wasn't sure she could handle her wife being married to the job and not being involved with their family.

"Even still Pen I think this may be over, she may not be cheating on me with another man but she is certainly having an affair with our job. I could move back to Pennsylvania with my mother, even on a profilers salary it would be hard to support Henry and be around Emily all the time, I may even want to leave the BAU." Her friend once again shocks Garcia, she knows Emily has been MIA but she would be devastated if she lost her family, even worse if JJ moved away.

When Emily got out of the shower she noticed she had no missed calls or texts and decided to change and head out to do some last minute Christmas shopping. She wants to get JJ a new engagement ring and band. She saw this beautiful Tiffany cushioned cut 3-karat set on top of a diamond band and then a diamond band for her wedding ring. She wasn't sure what to get her son, he was still so small and spoiled by the team and his grandmother.

Walking around she saw a beautiful stuffed eagle in the windowpane, it resembled the once she had as a child. It was perfect and she had to have it. She walked into the store just as they were closing and made the purchase.

Walking back to the hotel she thought about her marriage and her son. Emily knew there had been a separation in her relationship but with the dragon lady she had be careful and couldn't fuck this up.

On the other hand she refused to let this ruin her family, she loved them more than anything. Once she was back in the hotel she laid in bed looking at old pictures on her phone and decided to text Garcia to see if she could talk. The bubbly blonde called her right away.

Garcia hopes that she can get Emily to open up about everything. The brunette tells her how she misses her family, she hates being the unit chief, Strauss blackmailed her into doing it, threatening her job and Hotch's. The man was a fantastic unit chief and never wanted to step down but was forced to do so, of course he got to spend more time with his son but he was also amazing at his job.

"That's why I decided to take the job Garcia, she was going to force Hotch out and then she was going to transfer either me or Jennifer since now we are both profilers, I just couldn't let her break up the team, not after everything we've been through."

Garcia felt for Emily, she was forced into a job she didn't want and JJ had no idea, she just felt neglected and as if Emily chose work over herself, when in reality the brave woman had put her entire team ahead of herself.

"I have to tell you something Emily" the brunette braces herself for a verbal lashing from the other woman, she's certainly JJ's best friend and she would take anything the woman dished out. She doesn't want to break the woman's heart but she knows it's going to happen.

"JJ is feeling very alone and is thinking about leaving the BAU" well that's not so bad Emily thinks to herself. "Emily she's thinking about moving back home, without you honey." That's the straw to break the camel's back; Emily's world comes crashing down around her.

"I have to go Penelope, I have a very important phone call to make, and then I have another important phone call to save my marriage, thank you for listening, goodnight" with that she hangs up and searches for a number she hasn't dialed in quite sometime.

"Hello"

"Mother it's Emily, I need a favor" she knows her relationship with her mother is rocky but the older woman would do anything for her daughter-in-law and grandson. She explains the entire situation in which the Ambassador responds that she will take care of everything.

"Thanks mom, I have to go call my wife, I'll see you on Christmas." Another quick hang up.

She knew her mother could get her out of this mess, she hated politics that's why she refused to call her the first time, but she needed to save her family from breaking up.

She dials her wife, the blonde must be sleeping when there's no answer, she leaves a voicemail. "Baby I am so sorry for making you believe that I love my job more than you and Henry, there is nothing or anyone who compares to either of you. I will be home before you know it, I promise you Jennifer" she puts the phone down and hopes her wife calls back.

Two hours later and her phone is buzzing like crazy on the night table. It's a number she doesn't recognize.

"Prentiss"

"Mrs. Prentiss I'm sorry to call you so late but there's been an accident"

TBC


End file.
